It is well known to, provide liquid fabric softening compositions that soften treated fabric. Such compositions are typically added to fabric in the rinse cycle of the wash process. We have observed that consumer preference is for liquid fabric conditioners that appear thick and creamy, cued by having a high viscosity at low shear and a high opacity. Conditioners that appear thin and/or translucent/watery may be perceived as being cheap and ineffective, whereas conditioners that appear thick and creamy are perceived as premium products. To date, there is limited technology that allows the alteration of viscosity and opacity without causing problems such as poor dispensing or poor storage stability.
We have found that liquid fabric conditioners that appear thick and creamy may be prepared by adding particular levels of an emulsified oil of particular particle size to a dispersion of conventional cationic fabric softening agent in water.
Fabric conditioners comprising oils and cationic softening agent are known in the art. For example, WO 97/22594 discloses fabric softeners comprising cationic softening agent and a perfume carrier substance that may be tallow oil or palm oil.
WO 00/71806 discloses fabric softeners comprising a cationic softening compound and an emulsified silicone, in one aspect the median silicone droplet size in the emulsion being at least 0.25 micron and preferably no greater than 25 micron.
WO01/96510 discloses an aqueous fabric softening composition comprising:
(i) a cationic fabric softening agent comprising at least two long hydrocarbyl chains;
(ii) one or more oils comprising from 8 to 40 carbon atoms; and
(iii) one or more nonionic stabilisers comprising a nonionic alkoxylate having an average alkoxylation number of from 10 to 40
wherein the composition is in the form of a macro-emulsion. Typically, the oil droplets in the macro-emulsion have a diameter between 0.1 to 40 μm. There is no disclosure of preferred average droplet sizes.
WO02/33032 discloses an aqueous, liquid fabric conditioning composition comprising:
(i) from 2.1 to 7% of a quaternary ammonium cationic softening compound; and
(ii) a perfume having a ClogP or 2 or more; and
(iii) an oily perfume carrier having a ClogP of 3.5 or more;
where the composition comprises an emulsion in which 80% or more weight of the droplets in the emulsion have a mean diameter of from 0.4 to 60 microns, as measured using a Malvern particle size analyser with a 45 mm lens for D[0,1] measurements and both a 45 mm and a 1000 mm lens for D[0,9] measurements. The Examples disclose formulations with a wide range of droplet sizes. There is no disclosure of preferred average droplet sizes.
WO03/012019 discloses an aqueous, liquid fabric conditioning composition comprising:
(i) a quaternary ammonium cationic softening compound; and
(ii) a nonionic surfactant
where the composition comprises an emulsion in which 80% or more by weight of the droplets in the emulsion have a mean diameter of from 0.4 to 60 microns, as measured using a Malvern particle size analyser with a 45 mm lens for D[0,1] measurements and both a 45 mm and a 100 mm lens for D[0,9] measurements. The compositions may comprise perfume and an oily perfume carrier. There is no disclosure of the preferred average droplet sizes.
WO00/71806 and EP 1054032 disclose fabric softening compositions comprising siloxane or silicone emulsions.